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FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS DEPARTAMENTO Física de la Materia Condensada TESIS DOCTORAL DEVELOPMENT OF A MARS SIMULATION CHAMBER IN SUPPORT FOR THE SCIENCE ASSOCIATED TO THE RAMAN LASER SPECTROMETER (RLS) INSTRUMENT FOR ESA'S EXOMARS MISSION Presentada por ALEJANDRO CATALÁ ESPÍ para optar al grado de doctor por la Universidad de Valladolid Dirigida por: Fernando Rull Pérez ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Mi más sincero agradecimiento a todas aquellas personas que han hecho posible que esta tesis doctoral se desarrollara. En particular: A mi director de tesis el Catedrático Fernando Rull Pérez, por darme la oportunidad de realizar esta tesis en sus instalaciones y estancias en centros de renombre en el extranjero, todo ello mediante la concesión de una beca de formación FPI. A mis compañeros de la Unidad Asociada UVa-CSIC-CAB, con especial mención a Alberto Vegas y Aurelio Sanz, por su sabiduría infinita, ayuda y disponibilidad, y a Gloria Venegas por su apoyo y complementación en aquellos aspectos ajenos a mi formación y con quien ahora tengo el placer de trabajar. A la gente de INTA, de quienes he aprendido un poco de rocket science pero sobre todo ¡a generar documentación! A todos aquellos colaboradores que han hecho que las estancias en el extranjero me ayudasen a complementar mi formación como investigador en el campo de la exploración planetaria, en especial a Pablo Sobrón y a Ian Hutchinson. Y por último, pero no por ello menos importante, a mi familia por el apoyo, cariño y ánimo recibidos desde la distancia. Sin ellos nada de esto hubiese sido posible. i TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I TABLE OF CONTENTS III TABLA DE CONTENIDOS VII INDEX OF FIGURES XI INDEX OF TABLES XV CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION 1 1.1. Planetary Exploration of Mars 3 1.2. Astrobiology and Life 8 1.3. The ExoMars Programme and the 2018 ExoMars Rover 13 1.4. RLS-ExoMars and Raman spectroscopy 17 CHAPTER 2 - JUSTIFICATION AND OBJECTIVES 21 CHAPTER 3 - RLS-EXOMARS SIMULATION CHAMBER 25 3.1. Introduction 27 3.2. Pressure and temperature systems 29 3.2.1. Parts 30 3.2.1.1. RLS-ExoMars Simulation Chamber body 30 3.2.1.2. Vacuum generation station 31 iii 3.2.1.3. Pressure sensor 32 3.2.1.4. Gas and valves 33 3.2.1.5. Pressure controller 34 3.2.1.6. Refrigeration unit 35 3.2.2. Pressure and temperature test 37 3.3. Sample system 40 3.3.1. Parts 41 3.3.1.1. Refillable Container (RC) 41 3.3.1.2. Flattening subsystem 44 3.3.1.3. Optical Window 46 3.3.2. Sample system test 48 CHAPTER 4 - RLS-EXOMARS SCIENCE SIMULATOR 53 4.1. Introduction 55 4.2. Background: ExoMars RLS Simulator 57 4.3. RLS-ExoMars Science Simulator 59 4.3.1. XYZ positioning system 59 4.3.2. Optical system 60 4.3.2.1. Cube-Mounted pellicle beamsplitter 61 4.3.2.2. Raman Optical Head (OH) cylindrical adapter 62 4.3.2.3. Microscope objective ring adapter 63 4.3.2.4. Visual aid system 64 4.4. Tests 65 4.4.1. Laser power output 65 4.4.2. Laser spot size 67 4.4.3. Laser irradiance 70 4.4.4. Depth of Field (DOF) 71 4.4.5. Spectral resolution 73 4.4.6. Wavelength calibration 74 4.4.7. Optical system transfer function and intensity calibration 75 CHAPTER 5 - EXPERIMENTS 77 5.1. Introduction 79 5.2. Description of the experiments 81 iv 5.2.1. Instrumentation 81 5.3. Experiment 1: Sweep in environmental conditions 82 5.3.1. Methodology 82 5.3.2. Samples 83 5.3.2.1. Alunite 84 5.3.2.2. Gypsum 87 5.3.2.3. Jarosite 90 5.3.2.4. Quartz 93 5.4. Experiment 2: Sweep in power 95 5.4.1. Methodology 95 5.4.2. Samples 96 5.4.2.1. Jarosite 97 5.4.2.2. Hematite 119 5.5. Experiment 3: Sweep in spot size 135 5.5.1. Methodology 135 5.5.2. Samples 136 5.5.2.1. Jarosite 136 5.5.2.2. Hematite 149 5.6. Conclusions of the experiments 162 CHAPTER 6 - CONCLUSIONS 167 6.1. Conclusions of this PhD thesis 169 6.2. Future work 170 ANNEX A - PC SOFTWARE 173 ANNEX B - STEPPER MOTOR CONTROLLER 179 ANNEX C - MATLAB CODE 187 APPENDIX A - PUBLICATIONS, ABSTRACTS, REFERENCES AND MERITS 205 Publications 207 Technical documentation 207 v Abstracts 208 Oral Communications 209 Merits, Honours and transversal activities 210 References 211 APPENDIX B - RESUMEN 217 vi TABLA DE CONTENIDOS AGRADECIMIENTOS I TABLE OF CONTENTS III TABLA DE CONTENIDOS VII ÍNDICE DE FIGURAS XI ÍNDICE DE TABLAS XV CAPÍTULO 1 - INTRODUCCION 1 1.1. Exploración Planetaria de Marte 3 1.2. Astrobiología y Vida 8 1.3. El Programa ExoMars y el Rover de ExoMars 2018 13 1.4. RLS-ExoMars y la espectroscopia Raman 17 CAPÍTULO 2 - JUSTIFICACIÓN Y OBJETIVOS 21 CAPÍTULO 3 - CÁMARA DE SIMULACIÓN DE RLS-EXOMARS 25 3.1. Introducción 27 3.2. Sistemas de presión y temperatura 29 3.2.1. Partes 30 3.2.1.1. Cuerpo de la Cámara de Simulación de RLS-ExoMars 30 vii 3.2.1.2. Estación de generación de vacío 31 3.2.1.3. Sensor de presión 32 3.2.1.4. Gas y válvulas 33 3.2.1.5. Controlador de presión 34 3.2.1.6. Unidad de refrigeración 35 3.2.2. Test de presión y temperatura 37 3.3. Sistema de muestra 40 3.3.1. Partes 41 3.3.1.1. Contenedor Rellenable (RC) 41 3.3.1.2. Subsistema de aplanado 44 3.3.1.3. Ventana Óptica 46 3.3.2. Test del sistema de muestra 48 CAPÍTULO 4 - SIMULADOR DE CIENCIA DE RLS-EXOMARS 53 4.1. Introducción 55 4.2. Antecedentes: ExoMars RLS Simulator 57 4.3. Simulador de Ciencia de RLS-ExoMars 59 4.3.1. Sistema de posicionamiento XYZ 59 4.3.2. Sistema óptico 60 4.3.2.1. Divisor de haz de película montado en cubo 61 4.3.2.2. Adaptador cilíndrico de Cabezal Óptico Raman (OH) 62 4.3.2.3. Anillo adaptador de objetivo de microscopio 63 4.3.2.4. Sistema de ayuda visual 64 4.4. Tests 65 4.4.1. Potencia de salida del láser 65 4.4.2. Tamaño de spot láser 67 4.4.3. Irradiancia láser 70 4.4.4. Profundidad de campo (DOF) 71 4.4.5. Resolución espectral 73 4.4.6. Calibración en longitud de onda 74 4.4.7. Función de transferencia del sistema óptico y calibración en intensidad 75 CAPÍTULO 5 - EXPERIMENTOS 77 5.1. Introducción 79 viii 5.2. Descripción de los experimentos 81 5.2.1. Instrumentación 81 5.3. Experimento 1: Barrido en condiciones ambientales 82 5.3.1. Metodología 82 5.3.2. Muestras 83 5.3.2.1. Alunita 84 5.3.2.2. Yeso 87 5.3.2.3. Jarosita 90 5.3.2.4. Cuarzo 93 5.4. Experimento 2: Barrido en potencia 95 5.4.1. Metodología 95 5.4.2. Muestras 96 5.4.2.1. Jarosita 97 5.4.2.2. Hematite 119 5.5. Experimento 3: Barrido en tamaño de spot 135 5.5.1. Metodología 135 5.5.2. Muestras 136 5.5.2.1. Jarosita 136 5.5.2.2. Hematite 149 5.6. Conclusiones de los experimentos 162 CAPÍTULO 6 - CONCLUSIONES 167 6.1. Conclusiones de esta tesis doctoral 169 6.2. Trabajo futuro 170 ANEXO A - SOFTWARE PARA PC 173 ANEXO B - CONTROLADOR DE MOTOR PASO A PASO 179 ANEXO C - CÓDIGO MATLAB 187 APÉNDICE A - PUBLICACIONES, ABSTRACTS, REFERENCIAS Y MÉRITOS 205 Publicaciones 207 ix Documentación técnica 207 Abstracts 208 Comunicaciones orales 209 Méritos, Honores y actividades transversales 210 Referencias 211 APÉNDICE B - RESUMEN 217 x INDEX OF FIGURES Figure 1.1. - Map of the planet Mars (1877-1888) by Giovanni Schiaparelli (Credit: International Planetary Cartography Database) 3 Figure 1.2. - Misinterpretation of Schiaparelli's 'channels' by Percival Lowell (Credit: The New York Times, December 9, 1906) 4 Figure 1.3. - Three science fiction books related to Mars's intelligent beings. (a) The War of The World by H.G.Wells (public domain image), (b) A Princess of Mars, the first book of the Barsoom series by Edgar Rice Burroughs (public domain image), and (c) The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury (Credit: Doubleday publishing company) 4 Figure 1.4. - Images of the Mars surface by (a) Mariner 4 (Credit: NASA) and (b) Mariner 6 and 7 (Credit: NASA) 5 Figure 1.5. - Viking 2 panorama taken at its landing site (Credit: Edward A. Guinness, Washington University in St. Louis) 5 Figure 1.6. - Sojourner rover analyzing Yogi rock (Credit: IMP Team, JPL, NASA) 6 Figure 1.7. - Comanche outcrop (at the back) found by the Spirit rover on Mars. It is composed, in part, of Fe-Mg carbonates. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell University) 6 Figure 1.8. - Gale crater and the landing elipse for MSL. Gale crater is a layered mound of clays and sulphates. (Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ESA / DLR / FU Berlin / MSSS) 7 Figure 1.9. - Mars global map. A clear difference in height can be observed between smooth northern highlands and the rugged southern lowlands. (Credit: MOLA Science Team) 11 Figure 1.10. - SEM image for ALH84001 interpreted biogenic microstructures (Credit: NASA) 12 Figure 1.11. - Elements of the ExoMars Programme: the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) on the upper left and the ExoMars Rover on the lower right.
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